


Little Secrets

by starsdontsleep



Category: Now You See Me (2013)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friendship, Love Confessions, M/M, Wordcount: 5.000-10.000, mild Hypnosis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-19
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-16 07:30:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1337110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsdontsleep/pseuds/starsdontsleep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack’s head dropped down, his chin resting against his chest while Merritt smirked slightly at the still figure of their fourth horseman. Henley let out a soft laugh from behind Merritt. “Wow, you actually did it.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Title:Little Secrets  
> Rating: R (For swearing)  
> Beta: None  
> Pairing(s): Jack Wilder/Daniel Atlas (Hints of Henley Reeves/Merritt McKinney)  
> Word Count: 6,224  
> Warnings: Swearing and I suppose hypnosis?  
> Author's Note: So, I watched this movie and couldn’t get these two out of my head, but unfortunately there is a severe lack of fanfiction and therefore, I needed to write them to help remove them. Can I just say though? Writing them was a _bitch_ because, unlike when I can usually look to fandom for help, there was no real basis for characterization other than the movie which was somewhat unhelpful as Jack barely spoke and practically never with Daniel. Hell, most of them only spoke on stage which gives nothing on to how to write their dynamic. So, so painful. I hope I’ve managed to do them some justice though. We’ll see. (I'm uncertain about the end, but that's probably because I haven't re-read it a few times...)
> 
> But oh, yay for this story getting me to finally grab an AO3 account though, I almost thought it would never happen.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you'll let me know what you think. Maybe I'll be inspired to write more in this fandom?

* * *

“And... sleep.”

Jack’s head dropped down, his chin resting against his chest while Merritt smirked slightly at the still figure of their fourth horseman.

Henley let out a soft laugh from behind Merritt. “Wow, you actually did it.”

“Your harshness I’m going to take as being not a doubt to my skills, but rather a bit of respect for the kid here.”

Daniel, who had been shuffling his cards throughout the proceedings made a point of giving Merritt an unimpressed look. “Jack probably just didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Now, now, there’s no need to feel inferior, we all know who the better magician is here,” Merritt answered with a grin.

“What you’re doing is not magic and you only made him sleep, do you really think you have the talent, or should I say, luck, to make him, I don’t know,” Daniel gave him a disbelieving look that was layered with condescension, “actually do something you want him to?”

Merritt’s eyes narrowed for a brief second before he turned back to Jack. “Well, Jack. I was going to do something nice and easy for your first time, really slide you into it nicely, but I don’t think our dear leader _Daniel,_ ” he raised his voice on the word, “is going to be content with that, so here’s what we’re going to do.” 

He went to lower his voice and murmur the command in Jack’s ear, but Daniel sprang up and came forward, stopping Merritt before he could speak. “You think I’m going to take your word about what you tell him?”

Merritt gave him a hurt look. “What? Where’s the trust? Do you think I’d lie to you?”

“Think?” Daniel gave him his faux-friendly smile that really just came off as patronizing - it was the one that twitched across his lips with the usual jittery way he expressed himself. “I’m _sure_ you’d lie.”

Henley raised her gloved hands, moving to walk between and pacify them. “Come on, boys. Let’s be nice here, Jack’s the one to consider in this.”

“It’s only going to be a bit of fun,” Merritt said casually before turning back to Jack. “And I for one think all merriment should be shared, so Jack, when you wake up, and until I say the word, until I say...” he thought for a moment before smirking, “ _whisky-_ ”

Henley chimed in before he could continue, sounding bemused, “Why whisky?”

“I figured it was appropriate, what with JackDaniel’s and all.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Haha.”

“Oh that’s not even the best part, Danny.” He focused back on Jack. “As I’ve said, until you hear me say _whisky_ following which you will fall back asleep, you will be - tragic though it might be for you - utterly, completely and _hopelessly_ in love with our dear leader Daniel Atlas over there.”

Henley let out a shocked and probably more theatrically than genuine gasp. She seemed more amused than actually put out, “ _Merritt!_ ”

Leaning forward, Merritt prepared to take Jack out of his hypnosis but couldn’t resist a brief glance at the unusually silent Daniel Atlas. What he saw made his eyebrows rise ever so slightly. He’d expected the other magician to roll his eyes, possibly even get angrier than the situation warranted if he felt his ‘control’ was being compromised, but to Merritt’s surprise and curiosity, Daniel had paled. It only lasted a moment, but in that time Daniel’s eyes were helpless as he gazed at Jack.

He pulled himself together remarkably; Henley was none the wiser after all, but Merritt? Oh he was aware and interested indeed. Daniel suddenly shifted his attention to him.

“ _Don’t_ ,” he said and while it was definitely forceful and on anyone else would be a command, Merritt swore there was a little bit of a plea in there.

Of course, he ignored it.

“And here I thought your ego would just jump at the chance for another, or should I say, an _actual_ admirer?”

Daniel, for all his artificial self-confidence when they’d met had been like a rather bland book; easy to read and delightful to poke at in order to get a flustering mess. He’d improved at hiding and shielding his feelings during their acquaintance but either he’d forgotten what he’d learnt or just didn’t care anymore. _Or perhaps the person he did care to hide from isn’t available to see it right now._

Whatever the reason, Daniel looked torn. His mouth twitched like he wanted to say something and his eyes blazed with anger and a miserable desire every time he flicked his eyes at Jack.

Merritt couldn’t stop the words before they slipped out, not that he _really_ wanted to mind you, he’d never done well at tact. “Don’t tell me you’re being so old-fashioned and _pining,_ Daniel?”

Daniel, all his insults and they way he puffed up his chest with self-assurance aside, had tended to avoid outright conflict with him. Merritt always assumed it was a combination of not being able to guarantee winning and worrying he might lose a secret or two in the process. He had no such problem at the moment.

“Your mentalism as well as everyone else’s is a complete hoax and if you truly believe you can make someone _manifest_ feelings through your little sleep and suggestion bit, you’re really far more unbalanced than I thought.”

“ _Daniel_ ,” Henley hissed her large eyes wide as she glanced between them carefully. “Isn’t that a bit much for some simple fun?”

“I really don’t call manipulating someone’s emotions and sexuality fun,” Daniel sniped back at her before glaring at Merritt. “Although, it wouldn’t surprise me to know it’s a favoured part of _his_ arsenal.”

Merritt knew that Daniel had always been good at pushing his buttons and he usually fought fire with fire, using his so called ‘hokum’ to savagely strip Daniel’s most easily accessible defensive shields, forcing him to go and lick his wounds privately, but this time he held his tongue because Daniel’s little attack had left himself wide open.  
Namely, he didn’t deny that he was pining for Jack.

Merritt wouldn’t admit it, but that knowledge did make him consider pulling off the entire idea. Daniel proved himself to be a dick daily but they’d been through enough that Merritt didn’t actually want to hurt him - mortify and undermine, sure, but nothing seriously damaging if it turned out the little magician had a crush.

He slipped a little further away from Jack as he responded to Daniel, “Now, now, no need to get so defensive-”

“I’m not defensive,” he cut in abruptly and obviously enough that even Henley had started shooting him odd that smoothed into comprehending glances. He still kept trying to persuade them otherwise. “It’s just a waste of an afternoon. Your time could be spent on better avenues, you know, like improving your contribution to our shows.”

“My contributions?” Merritt’s tone was flat, but irritation had spiked in him. That little shit.

Daniel shrugged jerkily. “You can’t say that they’re particularly interesting or necessary.”

“Oh really now? You know, I must have been out of my mind to even contemplate reconsidering.” He turned back to Jack and moved closer. “I’ll enjoy your thoughts on my _uninteresting_ talent when Jack’s confessing bottomless feelings of love to you.”

He didn’t look at Daniel as he began bringing the kid out of it, but based on the sound of shoes squeaking on tiles and Henley’s simple ‘ _you did bring his revenge on yourself, Danny_ ’ - Daniel had tried to stop him.

Too bad. 

Besides, he wouldn’t make Daniel suffer forever; he owed it to Jack not to leave the kid ‘in love’ for too long. Daniel would just have to learn not to piss off a hypnotist after all but admitting his sexual bents.

“And... wake up.”

Jack’s head jerked and he blinked back into awareness. “Woah.” He looked around the room, eyes lingering on Daniel for a moment, a small grin even tilting up his lips when he saw the illusionist. He then focused back on Merritt. “Did it work?”

Merritt smirked widely and took a step back from the kid. “Oh, I’d say things are looking positive.”

Jack had never been slow on an uptake; Merritt had always appreciated that. “What did you do? Are you gonna make me do something?” His eyebrows furrowed. “ _Am_ I doing something?”

“Oh, Jack,” Henley came over to him with a soft smile but delight was dancing through her eyes as she touched a hand to his shoulder.

Jack looked between them all. Merritt wasn’t even trying to keep the smile off his face, Henley was a mixture of sympathy and laughter and Daniel had definitely tried to interrupt the awakening process, but now he wouldn’t catch anyone’s eyes, resolutely staring out the window.

“Are you really going to make me do something embarrassing?” Jack asked nervously.

“Oh, it may be embarrassing, but don’t worry, we won’t hold it against you,” Merritt told him as seriously as he could while his attention shifted between both young men.

Jack looked over at Daniel. It could have been because the other magician had been the only horseman member who hadn’t endorsed the hypnosis attempt, but it also could have been the new compulsion that made him seek out the other for support and reassurance. “Daniel?”

Daniel’s gaze slowly lifted and the air felt charged for the long moment he stared at Jack. Merritt was almost tempted to make a joking remark but when Jack took a step towards him and Daniel jerked backwards, everyone froze.

He turned abruptly to face Merritt and there was more vehemence to the glare he received than the older magician had ever seen from the other man. “Take it off.”

“What?” Jack’s voice had the smallest tinge of panic. “What did he do?”

“Moi?” Merritt returned, placing a hand to his chest, responding more to Jack than Daniel. “It was entirely Daniel’s idea.”

Daniel’s spat out his response, “It _wasn’t_ and you’ve never been funny. Take it off.”

Merritt’s eyes narrowed and he couldn’t stop himself from diving in and exploring this new side to Daniel. “You sure you want to keep telling people to strip? Who knows who might take you up on that?” He manfully resisted the urge to let his gaze linger on Jack’s reaction. He settled for raising his eyebrows at Daniel instead, watching the little tells that were giving away more than Daniel knew. “But maybe you _do_ want a reaction like that?” He glanced at Henley. “Didn’t you say he liked getting dominated?” He snapped his fingers. “Oh wait, no.” He glanced back at Daniel. “You’re just obvious about it.”

Henley, little self-confirmed sadist that she was, seemed beyond amused and had grown bored with her place on the sidelines. She sauntered over to wrap her arms around Jack in a parody of a hug. “Oh Jack; just promise me you’ll let me know if it lasts more than three minutes. He keeps trying to prove that it's all a lie.”

Daniel flushed hotly and Merritt remembered their first conversation in the hallway, before Jack had arrived and Henley had been sniping at Daniel. It made Merritt laugh loudly.  
“Just shut the fuck up, alright?” Daniel snapped out, reaching his limit.

Merritt watched Daniel’s fist clench around his cards and although it was mostly mock sympathy and despite having been reacting in a mostly playground rendition of ‘you hit me, I hit you back’, Merritt ruefully admitted that wanting to fuck someone and being unable to so was a shitty business. It didn’t mean he would _stop_ irritating Daniel of course.  
“Must be hard to have the ex and the new interest working together, huh, Daniel?”

The way Jack stiffened and gaped at them as he began to clue in was nothing when compared to Daniel’s reaction. Daniel's eyes flicked like he was caught in the headlights and he made an aborted motion of denial. When he saw Jack register what was going on, it was only a quick flash, but for that one second anguish passed through Daniel’s eyes and Merritt suddenly realised there had been a lapse, an assumption, a _dismissal_ on his part that had shifted the whole scenario from ‘humorous’ to ‘cruel as fuck’.

Daniel’s lips pressed together but he wouldn’t look at anyone’s face, which was unfortunate because if he had of glanced at Merritt he would have seen genuine apology. “Daniel-” Merritt still tried, but Daniel disappeared without further remark. 

Merritt would never have thought he’d see the day someone got the last word over the Illusionist, but he wasn’t in a mood for celebrating his accomplishment.

“Fuck” he muttered before asking just to be certain. “Neither of you would happen to be a homophobic prick, right?”

Henley shot him an offended glance while slipping her arms from their loose hold around Jack to cross them. “I’m sorry; do I look like an ass to you?”

“Now, now,” Merritt pacified almost absently, “you never know what sordid little secrets are hiding inside someone’s mind.”

_Like the fact Daniel apparently doesn’t just want the kid, he loves him - and isn’t that a surprise. Would have thought Danny-boy never found it interesting enough to grow a heart._

“Guys...” Jack cautiously cut in, “what’s going on?”

Narrowing his eyes at the fidgeting that the kid was trying to suppress and the way his eyes kept darting after Daniel’s back, Merritt made a decision. He sighed internally at the sacrifices he made for these children. There went all his fun, leave it to the dick to grow on you like a fungus and make you feel guilty. He snapped his fingers again but this time focused on Jack, reciting, “ _Whisky._ ” 

Jack’s head dropped for the second time in the last ten minutes and Merritt quickly reversed the compulsion, making sure Jack would remember the interlude in between and, without any influence, tell them his own attachment to Daniel and whether they’d successfully fucked up the dynamic that was the Four Horseman.

When Jack reawakened, he blinked a few times and shook his head. Merritt dove straight in, refraining from using his usual ‘I should be your therapist’ remarks. “Right, Jack, important question of the hour for you. As I was ever so gracious to stop you before you did anything embarrassing,” he gestured with his hands between them, “I’m expecting some honesty here in return.”

Jack, whose eyes had flicked twice since waking to where Daniel had escaped, came back to his. “Okay?”

Henley was watching them shrewdly and didn’t seem to have missed many of the subtleties either. She actually looked a little horrified; thankfully Jack wasn’t staring long enough to notice because there wasn’t a lot they could do if Jack answered this wrong. Sure, he could do his equivalent of wiping memories... but that really didn’t work all that well on fellow magicians or strong minds.

Well, time to dive right in to these murky waters.

“How long you been in love with Daniel?”

The wide eyes, flinch and tension to his shoulders were all the confirmation Merritt needed. He dipped his hands into his pockets even as Jack tried to pull off a denial. “What? Nah, Merritt, I don’t know what you-”

Henley was already sweeping over to him, cooing as she forcefully cut that pathetic attempt off. “Oh, Jack, why didn’t you say something?”

Jack grimaced, giving up his losing battle in the same way he conceded defeats in his slights; gracefully but with another angle already being worked. “When you and Daniel were about to hook up?”

“We were _never_ a couple,” Henley forcefully stated and the relief was palpable in Jack’s expression. “We might know how to work each other emotionally, but we never went beyond tension and antagonism.” She pulled back from him to flip her hair casually, cocking her hip to the side as she did. She was just beautiful and Merritt couldn’t help an admiring glance. “I am not hung up on Danny and he’s not into me.” Her eyes narrowed at Jack and she dropped, with all the grace of a lead safe, her next pronouncement. “It does seem, however, that he is into _you._ ”

“Nah, he’s not,” Jack didn’t even consider it; he dismissed it instantly with a knee-jerk reaction and his shoulders hunched slightly the way they always did when he was feeling insecure. Merritt also noted that he was carefully not confirming his own feelings even if his voice, sad and wistful, said it all for him. “He’s just a friend. We’re just friends, you know?”

Merritt couldn’t help rolling his eyes at that one. He deserved more than a tener for this. “Oh dear lord,” he responded instead, “the emotional sentimental girly _bull crap_ of the moment is so touching my little black heart is growing two damn sizes and getting me all teary-eyed.” 

Jack glared while Henley gave him that laughing eye roll she usually did. He levelled his voice and became serious. “Kid, while he may be a dick and I wouldn’t be complaining if you chose to aim a _little_ higher,” the whack to the arm that he got from Henley made it necessary that he pause and give her a hurt look before continuing with Jack, “ _but,_ it has become known, thanks to my brilliant talents,” he ignored Henley’s not so polite cough at that point, “that Danny-boy is _definitely_ interested in you.”

Jack’s response was to cross his arms, he was probably trying to look defiant but it only came out as if he was hugging himself awkwardly. “He’s really not, okay guys?”

“Oh come on, Jack,” Henley told him. “What happened to Mr Positive? You were always telling us a way for things to be possible.”

“And before you tell us, again, that your little love affair is destined for disaster,” Merritt cut in, “let me just point out that our resident self-confident ran out of this room, tail between his legs, because I hit a very sore spot for him, namely; you.”

Jack slowly shook his head, but he was looking more susceptible, more hopeful. Thank heavens for small favours. “I don’t know...”

Henley let out a huff of breath before reaching up and lightly cuffing him upside the head. “You’re a Horseman and a Magician, have a bit of faith.” She pointed in the direction Daniel had gone. “Go do something about this. I am not about to spend the next few weeks watching you pine over each other now that I know that is _what_ you’re actually doing rather than having a very, very close mutual bromance.”

“Bromance?” Merritt couldn’t help asking with raised eyebrows.

He loved that she didn’t even pretend to look uncertain or ashamed about herself for saying it. She just raised her eyebrows right back. He wouldn’t know how long they could have remained staring at each other with amusement as Jack’s quietly spoken questioned drew them back to him. “What if he doesn’t like me?” His eyes were wide and anxious, his voice depicting that for all his years on the street, for all his time spent with them, he was still the youngest.

Merritt knew Henley would have infolded him into a hug, mothering him in a way she’d deny to anyone who asked, but Merritt knew that wasn’t what he needed. Dropping a hand to Jack’s shoulder he patted it firmly. “I’ve always wanted to hypnotise Daniel. If it fucks up, I’ll make sure he won’t remember it after getting him to do the chicken dance.”

His response startled a laugh from Jack and Merritt squeezed the kid’s shoulder before making a shooing motion with his hand. “Well, go on, you stay any longer and I’ll start charging you. Your average physiatrist would-” 

“-charge you at least a couple of hundred,” Jack cut in, a hint of his usually cheeky attitude coming through again as well as his smile. He only hesitated for a moment after he finished, gazing as if hoping for further support - and apparently finding it; he’d have to work on looking less like he gave a damn - before Jack took off after Daniel.

Merritt shook his head in exasperation before he felt a bump to his shoulder and saw Henley leaning against him and smiling softly. 

“I’m impressed,” she told him genuinely.

The honest affection in her eyes made him clear his throat and shift his gaze slightly as he drew the conversation back to more comfortable territory. “Wait until they start consummating. You won’t be thanking me for the racket they’ll subject us to.”

Henley chuckled, soft and sweet and to his surprise, she placed her gloved hand in his. He gave her a sharp look but she, as usual, held his gaze confidently. “Every magician has a disappearing act; I say we work on ours. What do you think, Merritt?”

She tugged him towards the door lightly and he when smiled at her back it was more a softening of his features than the wide grin he generally gave people “What kind of magician would I be saying no to an offer of magic with a _gorgeous_ young woman?”

He linked his fingers with hers and was happy to let her take the lead, her laughter floating in the air around them as they made their way out of the apartment.

* * *

Daniel was pacing his room, his hands shuffling his cards angrily as he went back and forward. Fuck Merritt and fuck Henley and fuck, then there was _Jack_ and he almost spilled his cards. He angrily stopped walking to fix up the mistake and smooth the deck out. Damn it. Why did it have to be Jack? Why did Merritt have to come up with that stupid compulsion that was everything that-

Daniel stopped the movements and shifted the deck to one palm. Shutting his eyes, he brought a hand up to run through his hair.

It had always been a mistake. He’d been aware of that from the start - from the moment Jack said he idolised him, Daniel had been appraising him. He was an egotist and he knew it; there was nothing hotter than fucking someone who adored you. It wasn’t the way to build a relationship, but he’d never seen the need to find one or try before. He was careful not to make a mess in his own office though, and the second it was confirmed Jack had been given a card, like Henley, he’d scratched him off the list.

Well, he’d _tried_ to at least, but Jack was so... _Jack._ He was optimistic and easygoing, he may have had some kind of hero-worship for Daniel but he also didn’t take his shit. He didn’t do it loudly or antagonistically like Merritt or Henley, he would just look at Daniel sometimes and quietly tell him _no Daniel, forget it_ and that would be enough.

It was like a magic trick, the way that Jack had slipped under his defences; one second he was smiling at the kid and teaching him something and the next thing Daniel knew; he was standing in the middle of the room looking at Jack and wondering how he had done something so stupid as to fall for him.

Daniel opened his eyes and started shuffling again, but he barely saw the cards, he could only see Jack’s smile and the way his heart always _thumped_ when it was directed at him. When any of Jack’s pleased or fond looks were turned towards him really, because the most beautiful thing about Jack Wilder was that he was _honest._ He was a magician and a criminal but unlike anyone else Daniel had ever met who chose magic as a career; he didn’t spend his life outside the stage lying, cheating or wearing a thousand defences to keep everyone an arm’s length away.

Which made loving Jack even harder sometimes; it was depressing and painful to see the knowledge every day that he wouldn’t love you back, because after the first few weeks, while Jack obviously still retained some admiration for him, it had morphed into something simpler. It had turned into a friendship. A place where Daniel had to try overly hard to do something impressive, just to get Jack to stare at him like he was the most amazing thing in the room, like he was what Jack wanted, even if it was only what Jack wanted _to be._

That was why it was so hard to see Jack earlier, looking at him the way he wanted him to but knowing hypnosis, _a lie,_ was the cause of it.

The reminder made the cards in Daniel’s hands finally miss their mark and scatter into the air. He only managed to retain hold of three of them.

“Fuck,” he hissed under his breath before irritably throwing the remaining ones at the wall. He stared down at the strewn deck and felt a little like it was a visualisation of his personal house of cards.

Merritt had done a good job of knocking his emotional barriers down with his little joke. Daniel was furious at himself for letting it get to him, for letting the mentalist see just how much Jack affected him - and fuck, for letting _Henley_ see it too. He tried to will down the flush at the reminder again; _three minutes._ It had been one time, _one time_ and a vindictive fan and he couldn’t get away from it spreading around. 

_Not that you’d probably last much longer than that if Jack ever did touch you._

It was pathetically true. He’d been fantasising about the kid - man - for so many months now and he would never have done anything when Jack was under hypnosis, _never_ \- but for half a second, he’d imagined it. The knowledge he wouldn’t have been rejected if he approached him. He had imagined reaching out and touching him for just a little while; doing something so fucking gay as just kissing him and touching his hair. He’d thought about it all for a split-second and had never hated Merritt so much for putting that temptation in front of him.

He sighed a little but was snapped out of his memories when he heard a knock at his door. He glanced at it guardedly. There wasn’t anybody in the apartment that he wanted to see or deal with right now.

“Daniel?” He winced at Jack’s cautious voice. “You in there?”

He contemplated staying silent but he knew it wouldn’t last. He’d have to talk to Jack eventually and it would be cowardly to pretend he wasn’t there when the direction he’d walked hadn’t left many other options. He could feel his palms begin to sweat and hastily wiped them on his pants.

Daniel had to clear his throat to keep his voice from coming out more jittery than usual. “Yeah.”

He could practically see Jack shuffling and he didn’t bother biting down his smile, oddly, it helped calm him. “Can I come in?”

Daniel weighed up the situation before carefully asking, “You still under?”

“No,” Jack quickly replied. “Merritt took it off me.”

The choice of words made Daniel run a hand over the back of his neck, willing down any embarrassment. He wasn’t living this down. As long as he could keep their friendship intact and play down his own feelings... maybe things could be salvaged. Fuck. He hated not being in control, this was why he was _always_ in control; because it was terrifying to watch someone else have power over you, even if they didn’t notice or want it - even if Jack wouldn’t misuse it.

“Can I, Daniel?” Jack questioned again, his voice quieter.

Daniel just shrugged at his empty room. “Yeah.”

The door pushed open only somewhat uncertainly before Jack was poking his head into the room. 

“Woah,” he murmured when he saw the cards on the floor. He shut the door behind him, careful not to step on any of them as he gave Daniel a wry smile. “Sorry I interrupted you man.”

“Not your fault,” Daniel responded before, hoping to put off any kind of confrontation for as long as possible or until he could control the outcome or the flow of accusations, Daniel bent to begin picking them up. He wasn’t even surprised when Jack automatically bent down to do the same. 

They collected them in silence, crouching as they moved around the floor and playing out a tense game of fifty-two pickup. It ended with Jack in front of him and the deck split between them. Jack gave him a slightly shy smile and held the cards out.

Taking them, Daniel tried to ignore the way their hands brushed and with a practiced flick of his hand he had slid the deck together. He went to pull away but a fast and light grip came around his wrist.

Daniel looked down, startled at the touch before his eyes raised to Jack who was looking straight at him; nervous but determined. Daniel suddenly wanted to be anywhere but where he was. He stood up jerkily, but instead of pulling himself free, it only ended with Jack being yanked to stand with him.

“Daniel-” Jack began but Daniel swiftly intercepted him, saying whatever came into his head.

“I’m not going to apologise for not protesting more when you recommended yourself for Merritt’s parlour tricks. He took on that compulsion to annoy me and that’s no one’s fault but his own terrible upbringing and lack of talent and creativity-”

Jack was looking slightly bewildered. “Daniel-”

“Ignoring it is probably the best. I’ve analysed it at length and think that-”

“Yeah, but-”

Daniel could feel the start of panic in his chest and rushed more out, “If you have a problem with him deciding to create feelings of affection for me - something that was entirely _his_ fault-”

His words were halted when Jack, filled with pent up energy and nerves - did the only thing he could think of - the only thing he wanted to do. He pushed forward and pressed their lips together in a chaste but firm kiss.

Daniel’s mind went blank and his hand, wrist still gripped by Jack but now pressed up against the other magician’s chest, loosely clenched and unclenched in the fabric there. Jack was coiled with worry before him and he was no better as his heart rapidly sped up. It was like performing for the first time where he was so nervous under his shaky layer of confidence. He lightly pressed his lips back and Jack almost sagged against him.

_I hope this doesn’t end as disastrously as that first performance._

The thought, while vague, had the unfortunate luck of connecting together too many other things, the most important of which was _he wouldn’t do this if he wasn’t under hypnosis._

Pulling back like he was burned, he stared at Jack with guilt written across his features and tried to break the other’s hold. Jack didn’t let go, instead he put his foot between Daniel’s legs and with practiced, precise movements that Daniel’s brain couldn’t even register, Jack managed to trip, push and spin Daniel until he was on the bed, pinned, trapped and if he was honest, somewhat shorting out his brain.

His breathing felt ragged, his chest rising and falling quickly. Jack’s strange, effective and fluid fighting method always made him swallow with difficulty when he saw it, but combined with being pinned to the bed by the man of his fantasies - dominating him like he did _in_ some of his fantasies - Daniel was really hoping another part of him wasn’t about to start reacting to this.

Fuck, if he hadn’t of been so sure Jack still had to be under, he would have been pulling Jack down further on top him and playing out every thought and touch he wanted. _Was this his punishment for robbing a bank?_ He thought inanely before _at least I know what he feels like over me now._

“Why did you stop?” Jack asked him, breaking Daniel from the emotional mess of his head. 

Jack’s hands were braced on either side of his neck and his eyes were guarded as they looked down at him. 

Daniel internally sighed and gave Jack a sad, wry smile. “You said you weren’t under it anymore.”

“I’m not.”

“No,” Daniel shook his head; a crack in his voice that he wished wasn’t there. “You’d never kiss me if you weren’t.”

Jack’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Why _would_ you?” Daniel countered back and seeing the lack of comprehension he listed angrily, “I’m a dick, control-freak, arrogant asshole, egotist - and you know, I’m sure you and the others have come up with many other words behind my back,” he sighed slightly, unable to keep his anger when Jack looked so surprised. “I’m not exactly the best option, am I?”

“I don’t think you’re a dick,” Jack told him. “I mean, okay, sometimes you are,” he grinned a little, “but I wouldn’t like you half as much if you weren’t that person to, you know?”

A smile twitched at Daniel’s lips. “You don’t make a lot of sense.”

“Neither do you,” Jack smirked.

It would have been a peaceful, platonic moment, Daniel was sure, if Jack wasn’t still straddling him and Daniel’s mind wasn’t aware of every inch of Jack that was resting against him. The silence stretched for a good few seconds before Jack, sounding timid and shy asked softly, “Is it really true that you’re interested in me?”

Daniel’s heart jerked in his chest before freezing somewhere near his throat. He swallowed to clear it, but the motion didn’t achieve much.

He prepared to lie, to find a way to write off all that had transpired during the afternoon and, if not fully convince Jack, get him to drop the entire subject. When he caught the eyes of the younger man however, he knew that wasn’t an option anymore. Jack seemed even more vulnerable than Daniel felt, his confidence was hanging by a thread, more from determination than anything else and he was watching Daniel with precious few drops of hope or expectation.

Daniel reached up without thought and lightly cupped Jack’s cheek, his finger tips touching the edge of Jack’s hair. The younger man barely startled but his eyes widened ever-so slightly. _I threw myself into the Horseman; let’s hope this leap of faith is just as good a decision._

He smiled nervously. “Yeah, I am - kinda hoping you don’t mind.”

When Jack grinned at him, Daniel felt relief wash over him. The expression, the _brightening_ to Jack’s eyes, it was the look Daniel always tried to grab and get directed at him with a new trick, funny anecdote or just by assisting the younger man. It was a gaze of affection, of surprised pleasure and warmth.

Jack’s next response was to kiss him again and murmur against his lips, “Wanted you _forever._ ”

That was all Daniel needed to dig his fingers into Jack’s hair, and press himself into the kiss; responding desperately to the other magician. Jack let out a soft, pleased sound and Daniel felt the younger man carefully rest more of his weight on top of him.

They continued to kiss for a few minutes more until Jack darted back abruptly, his breathing slightly heavier and his hair delightfully mussed. “This is like, a real deal thing, right? I’m not like, a pass the time kinda thing, right?”

Daniel had to do his best not to fidget as he admitted, the prickling of vulnerability forcing him to choose his words carefully, awkwardly, “Not a fling.”

Jack, thankfully, found it to be enough, his hand reaching out to tentatively stroke a lock of Daniel’s hair. There was a hint of awe to his gaze as he practically whispered, “Never thought you would...”

The cloud of emotion become noticeable to Daniel, resting like an oppressive weight around them and causing the discomfort he’d lost to start forming in his shoulders again. He shifted slightly and cleared his throat, wanting to force anymore talking to the side for the moment. He could only do small bursts of confessions before he needed to pace again.

He needed to distract Jack. Luckily, he knew just the thing.

Reaching up, he curled his other hand around the younger man’s neck. Jack’s eyebrows rose, Daniel just smirked, his good mood returning as he remembered all the things he planned to do to the man hovering over him.

“Come closer,” he told him.

“What?” Jack laughingly replied.

Daniel’s eyes sparkled as he lightly tugged the back of the other’s neck. “ _Closer._ ” He repeated and then continued, “Because the closer you are...” he trailed the thumb of the hand still cupping Jack’s cheek against his eyelid, gently coaxing him to close those amusement laced orbs.

Lips were against his and Daniel didn’t bother saying the rest of the quote, figuring he’d pushed his luck on magic talk, especially when the person he was _in_ bed with was a fellow magician. He smiled in response when he felt Jack’s huff of a laugh when he registered what the words were. 

Daniel figured it meant he’d have to update his repertoire of witty dialogue for Jack, but out of all the things he’d considered having to change after the others realised his feelings... well, even the best magician could be pleasantly surprised.

_-Fin-_


End file.
